5:29 pm ET, April 23, 2024
Students, faculty and staff at University of New Mexico protest in support of Gaza
From CNN’s Taylor Romine
Students, faculty and staff at the University of New Mexico started protesting Monday in support of Gaza and have done so peacefully, the university said in a statement Tuesday.
On Tuesday, “members of our UNM community gathered at the UNM Duck Pond in peaceful protest,” the statement said. Some people brought tents and sleeping bags, which is in violation of school policy, and campus police told them citations or arrests would occur if not removed, they said.
“Police monitored the situation throughout the evening, without incident, and around midnight advised those who were remaining that their tents needed to be taken down or they would be cited,” the statement said. “The tents were eventually taken down, with some people remaining at the duck pond.”
As of Tuesday, there are about a dozen people at the duck pond with banners and chairs, but no tents, the statement said, and the university continues to monitor the situation.
“The University is grateful to our entire community for modeling how protests can occur in a way that both upholds freedom of expression and ensures a safe and productive campus environment for everyone,” the statement said.
